R&B/Hip-Hop

13 Jul 2023

‘The Crowded Room’ Sends Bill Withers to No. 1 on Top TV Songs Chart

After a synch in Apple TV+’s The Crowded Room, Bill Withers’ “Lovely Day” leads Billboard’s Top TV Songs chart, powered by Tunefind, for June 2023.

Rankings for the Top TV Songs chart are based on song and show data provided by Tunefind and ranked using a formula blending that data with sales and streaming information tracked by Luminate during the corresponding period of June 2023.

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“Lovely Day” can be heard in the series premiere of the new Apple TV+ series, which first aired alongside its first three episodes on June 9. In June 2023, “Lovely Day” earned 13.1 million official on-demand U.S. streams and 3,000 downloads, according to Luminate.

Released in 1977 and found on Withers’ album Menagerie from that same year, “Lovely Day” peaked at No. 30 on the Billboard Hot 100 in February 1978. The song returned to the Billboard charts upon its The Crowded Room synch, re-entering the R&B Digital Song Sales chart at No. 13 on the June 24-dated survey.

Irma Thomas’ “Anyone Who Knows What Love Is (Will Understand)” appears at No. 2 on Top TV Songs after being heard in the sixth season premiere of Netflix’s Black Mirror (June 15). The song earned 368,000 streams in June 2023. “Anyone Who Knows What Love Is (Will Understand)” was one of four songs from Thomas to reach the Hot 100, peaking at No. 52 in August 1964.

A pair of songs from Based on a True Story, a newly premiered series from Peacock, debut at Nos. 3 and 4 on Top TV Songs. Europe’s “The Final Countdown,” from the show’s fourth episode, lands at No. 3 (5.5 million streams, 2,000 downloads), followed by Queen and David Bowie’s “Under Pressure” at No. 4 (15.4 million streams, 2,000 downloads). Both episodes premiered June 8.

See the full top 10, also featuring music from Love Island (UK), The Bear and Cruel Summer, below.

Rank, Song, Artist, Show (Network)
1. “Lovely Day,” Bill Withers, The Crowded Room (Apple TV+)
2. “Anyone Who Knows What Love Is (Will Understand),” Irma Thomas, Black Mirror (Netflix)
3. “The Final Countdown,” Europe, Based on a True Story (Peacock)
4. “Under Pressure,” Queen & David Bowie, Based on a True Story (Peacock)
5. “Bad Guy,” Billie Eilish, Love Island (ITV2)
6. “Hold the Line,” Toto, Love Island (ITV2)
7. “She Drives Me Crazy,” Fine Young Cannibals, The Bear (Hulu)
8. “My Own Worst Enemy,” Lit, Cruel Summer (Freeform)
9. “She’s So High,” Tal Bachmann, Cruel Summer (Freeform)
10. “Stuck in the Middle With You,” Stealers Wheel, Love Island (ITV2)

13 Jul 2023

Coco Jones Reveals This *NSYNC Member Is Her ‘ICU’ Remix Mystery Artist

The cat is finally out of the bag. After a few days of teasing, R&B star Coco Jones has confirmed that Grammy-winning superstar Justin Timberlake is the mystery artist set to feature on the remix of her hit ballad “ICU.” Jones revealed the news during a red carpet interview with Entertainment Tonight at the 2023 ESPY Awards on Wednesday (July 12).

“I have a very very amazing, talented guy featured on the song,” she gushed. “Justin Timberlake is actually on the the ‘ICU’ remix! It was so amazing watching him just be a creative. We were collaborating on ideas, and I feel like [“ICU”] is nostalgic … so having his voice on it, and that soul, that element he brings … it’s going to be amazing.”

Jones first teased the remix on Monday (July 10) with a photoset that included pictures of a river, a screengrab of a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse episode and a collage of ’90s boy bands.

“ICU” is the second single from Jones’ What I Didn’t Tell You EP. The DJ Camper-produced ballad became the Bel-Air actress’ first entry on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 63. The song also spent four weeks at No. 1 on Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart. The steady growth of “ICU” also helped What I Didn’t Tell You reach the top 10 on Heatseekers Albums (No. 6).

Speaking on how the collaboration came to fruition, Jones joked, “Truthfully, I don’t know! I don’t know how this happened. All I can say is [that] he’s such a legend and he really supports me, so I’m really really happy to have this collaboration. I feel like it’s gonna shake y’all up!”

The Disney alum also revealed that she and Timberlake recorded their verses separately, but joined forces in the studio to put some final touches on the remix. “He’s so cool and chill, like me! He gives me ‘I’m doing this for fun, but life is so much bigger.’ He’s a normal human like me.”

The “ICU” remix marks Timberlake’s first musical release of the year. In 2022, the “Mirrors” singer featured on three songs: “Parent Trap” (with Jack Harlow), “Sin Fin” (with Romeo Santos) and “Stay With Me” (with Calvin Harris, Halsey and Pharrell Williams). He has not released a studio album since 2018’s Man of the Woods, which peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

Jones recently won best new artist at this year’s BET Awards. On Wednesday (July 12), she announced a slew of new dates for her What I Didn’t Tell You Tour.

Check out Coco’s reveal of the “ICU” remix mystery artist with ET below:

13 Jul 2023

Here’s Who Lizzo Thinks Is the ‘Best Rapper Alive’

Lizzo just revealed on her private Twitter account who she thinks is the greatest living rapper. But don’t worry if you’re not one of the 2.3 million followers privy to her posts — Billboard‘s got you covered.

The “About Damn Time” musician tweeted Thursday (July 13) that Lil Wayne, in her opinion, is the “Best rapper alive,” re-tweeting a video of the New Orleans native performing at the 2023 ESPY Awards. Wayne — who also landed on Billboard‘s list of 50 Greatest Rappers of All Time — opened the ceremony Wednesday night (July 12), rapping his 2008 hit “A Milli” as a montage of sports clips played on a big screen behind him.

Lizzo’s followers agreed with her assessment, with several suggesting that the 35-year-old Houston-raised singer should collaborate with Lil Wayne. “Oooo we could really use a strong Houstonian / New Orleans moment from y’all,” replied one fan.

“When you get him on the next album >>>,” wrote another.

This isn’t the first time Lizzo, who keeps her Twitter account locked most of the time as a way of escaping hate messages from non-followers, has sung Weezy’s praises. While walking the 2023 Grammys red carpet in February — at which she took home the coveted record of the year prize — she shouted out “Lil Wayne” in response to a rapid-fire question from an interviewer on the sidelines asking her to name her “favorite rapper of all time.”

Speaking of Lizzo and awards shows, the Yitty founder just found out that her HBO Max special Lizzo: Live In Concert is Emmy-nominated this year. “SHE’S EMMY NOMINATED AGAIN!!!! ?????????????? Thank you,” she shared on Twitter. She also won an Emmy last year for her competition series Watch Out for the Big Grrrls.

Watch Lil Wayne’s ESPY performance below.

13 Jul 2023

Jay-Z Lyrics Grace the Front of the Brooklyn Public Library’s Central Branch

Earlier this week, people in Brooklyn may have noticed that the popular Brooklyn Public Library’s Central branch had a different look to its exterior than usual. That’s because Jay-Z lyrics now grace its facade. 

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Video shows a group of workers outside of the library constructing the library’s newly designed face. The exterior — which resembles words from a newspaper article — depicts lyrics from Jay-Z’s extensive catalog, including “Hovi Baby,” “Sweet,” “Encore,” “Justify My Thug,” “Smile” and more. A story published by Hell Gate also revealed that the Brooklyn Public Library will close its doors Thursday (July 13) and prepare to honor Hov with an exhibit that will be open to the public the following day. Brooklyn Public Library’s website also notes that the Central branch “will be closed on Thursday, July 13, in preparation for a special event.”

Billboard has reached out to the library for comment.

Last June, the BPL held a celebration titled Night in the Library: The Philosophy of Hip-Hop, which featured Jay’s mother, Dr. Gloria Carter, as a guest speaker. “He was a very special child. He was that kid that was like, ‘Yo, ma. The sun is shining and I want to go outside.’ I’ll be like, ‘Baby, it’s cold out.’ He’d be like, ‘The sun is shining.’ I’d be like, ‘OK, I’m a let you go outside,’” Carter relayed to the night’s host Angie Martinez at the Hip-Hop 50 themed event. “Open the door, put him outside, and I’m looking out the door, and a couple minutes, he’s ringing the bell [shivering]. So I was like, ‘What happened?’ He was like, ‘It’s cold outside.’ That’s how a lesson is learned.”

Check out the BPL Central branch’s design below.

12 Jul 2023

Kevin Gates Explains Why He Re-Released ‘The Luca Brasi Story’ Mixtape 10 Years Later: ‘It Was Before Its Time’

Kevin Gates made waves throughout the late 2000s and 2010s, the latter of which saw the release of 12 mixtapes and the birth of The Luca Brasi Story series. The rapper released the first installment in 2013, and gave it a 10th anniversary re-release in February to celebrate the work, he explains to Billboard News in a new interview.

Speaking with Tetris Kelly, Gates says that The Luca Brasi Story was a transcendent body of work that the industry wasn’t prepared for when it was originally released. “I’m immortal. For the people that don’t know what that means … when I put it out, it was before its time,” he asserts. “It was received well, but once I put it out again, it was re-received ’cause people like to discover Kevin Gates, and I’m still discovering Kevin Gates.”

The Luca Brasi Story continued with two other mixtapes — Luca Brasi 2 debuted at No. 38 on the Billboard 200 chart in 2014, while its follow up, Luca Brasi 3, peaked at No. 4 on the all-genre tally in 2018.

As for the state of mixtapes in rap, “I don’t feel like it’s making a comeback,” Gates says. “It’s me staying true to my roots, because when you say ‘mixtape,’ it takes the pressure of an album. When you say ‘album,’ that’s when the anxiety hits, like, ‘Oh my god, I have a fear of failure. Is it going to be received well?’ But when you say ‘mixtape,’ it’s like I’m going to give you the current events in between the album.”

In recent months, the Baton Rouge native has kept busy by releasing a string of singles including “Do It Again,” “Prada Me” and “Breakfast,” which charted at No. 45 the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs survey. “I love this version of myself,” Gates says of himself and what’s to come. “I’ve never been more in love with version of myself right now because I come from being so hard on myself.”

Watch Gates’ full interview with Billboard News above.

12 Jul 2023

Kaytranada Talks Early Inspirations, Collaborative Project With Aminé & More | On the Record

In the first installment of Billboard’s new series On the Record, Kaytranada reflects on the origins of his sound, sharing the rich history of acts that his family introduced to him. Elsewhere in the discussion, the Haitian-Canadian hitmaker speaks about leaning into “the idea of different” when it comes to creating music and his collaborative project with Aminé.

Kaytranada:
I think memories and a song can go hand in hand. I feel like I’m doing the same to a lot of my fans, trying to create memories with my music.

My music really evolved, it doesn’t really sound like what people call “the Kaytranada sound.” It’s very hip-hop, but it’s still electronic house and R&B, it’s like, all those genres. And I just added swing, you know, like, keep the funk alive.

Growing up, my dad used to play a lot of, like, Haitian music, Compas music, where there’s, like, the old ones, or the recent ones, he was, like, playing a lot. We had a big sound system in our house, so music was always something important, you know. Then, it came to my sisters and they were playing, you know, a lot of like hip-hop, like, Jill Scott, Jay Z.

Rock music was something that was very, there like Linkin Park.

When it comes to me, it’s definitely like a combination of, like, you know, what I grew up listening to outside of Haitian music. But then when I got a little bit older, I just incorporate that more. And it felt like I took it for granted because I was not loving it because, you know, my parents were like, “Why don’t you listen to that? Why don’t you listen to that?” And I’m like, “Man, get out!” You know, but then, like, you hear something like “4EVA,” which is heavily Compas influence.

Watch the full video above!

12 Jul 2023

Playboi Carti Plots Global Antagonist Tour: See the Dates

Playboi Carti announced his upcoming fall and winter Antagonist Tour on Wednesday (July 12), which his Opium label signees Ken Carson, Destroy Lonely and Homixide Gang will be joining. The tour marks their first time hitting the road as an Opium collective.

The Antagonist Tour also marks Carti’s first headlining tour since 2021’s Narcissist Tour, when he played in support of his Billboard 200-topping album Whole Lotta Red, which was released on Christmas Day 2020 via Interscope Records and A$AP Mob‘s label AWGE. The 38-date trek — which includes dates in the U.S. and Europe — follows Carti’s multiple festival headlining performances at Rolling Loud California in March, Lyrical Lemonade Summer Smash in June and Wireless Festival just last week.

Carti was recently featured on “Popular” with The Weeknd and Madonna, which was released in support of The Weeknd’s HBO series The Idol. “Popular” peaked at No. 14 on Billboard‘s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and No. 43 on the Billboard Hot 100. Meanwhile, Carson’s most recent album, X, earned the rapper his first entry on the Billboard 200 when the project reached No. 115. Destroy Lonely released his critically acclaimed debut album If Looks Could Kill in May; it reached No. 4 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and No. 18 on the Billboard 200. Atlanta rap duo Homixide Gang released mixtapes Homixide Lifestyle in 2022 and Snot or Not in 2023. 

The pre-sale begins today at noon local time (U.S.) and 5 p.m. (E.U.) on Carti’s website, while general onsale begins Friday, July 14, at noon local time (U.S.) and 5 p.m. (E.U.).

See the Antagonist Tour dates below:

  • Sept. 6 — Denver, CO @ Ball Arena
  • Sept. 8 — Salt Lake City, UT @ Delta Center
  • Sept. 9 — Las Vegas, NV @ MGM Grand Garden Arena
  • Sept. 12 — Seattle, WA @ Climate Pledge Arena
  • Sept. 13 — Portland, OR @ Veterans Memorial Coliseum
  • Sept. 15 — Sacramento, CA @ Golden 1 Center
  • Sept. 16 — San Francisco, CA @ Chase Center
  • Sept. 17 — San Diego, CA @ Pechanga Arena San Diego
  • Sept. 20 — Los Angeles, CA @ Crypto.com Arena
  • Sept. 23 — Glendale, AZ @ Desert Diamond Arena
  • Sept. 26 — Austin, TX @ Moody Center
  • Sept. 27 — Houston, TX @ Toyota Center
  • Sept. 28 — Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center
  • Sept. 30 — Kansas City, MO @ T-Mobile Center
  • Oct. 1 — Minneapolis, MN @ Target Center
  • Oct. 2 — Chicago, IL @ United Center
  • Oct. 4 — Detroit, MI @ Little Caesars Arena
  • Oct. 5 — Columbus, OH @ Schottenstein Center
  • Oct. 6 — Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center
  • Oct. 7 — Boston, MA @ TD Garden
  • Oct. 9 — Washington, DC @ Capital One Arena
  • Oct. 11 — New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
  • Oct. 13 — Pittsburgh, PA @ PPG Paints Arena
  • Oct. 14 — Indianapolis, IN @ Gainbridge Fieldhouse
  • Oct. 15 — Cleveland, OH @ Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse
  • Oct. 17 — Raleigh, NC @ PNC Arena
  • Oct. 18 — Charlotte, NC @ Spectrum Center
  • Oct. 20 — Atlanta, GA @ State Farm Arena
  • Nov. 19 — Dublin, IE @ 3Arena
  • Nov. 21 — Manchester, UK @ AO Arena
  • Nov. 22 — London, UK @ The O2
  • Nov. 24 — Brussels, BE @ Forest National
  • Nov. 25 — Amsterdam, NL @ Ziggo Dome
  • Nov. 27 — Milan, IT @ Mediolanum Forum
  • Nov. 29 — Cologne, DE @ Lanxess Arena
  • Nov. 30 — Berlin, DE @ Mercedes-Benz Arena
  • Dec. 2 — Paris, FR @ AccorHotels Arena
  • Dec. 4 — Copenhagen, DK @ Royal Arena       

12 Jul 2023

Kendrick Lamar, Janet Jackson, Brent Faiyaz & Megan Thee Stallion Lead Lineup for ONE Musicfest 2023

Kendrick Lamar, Janet Jackson, Brent Faiyaz and Megan Thee Stallion lead the stellar lineup for ONE Musicfest 2023. Now in its 14th year and presented in partnership with Live Nation Urban, the festival will take place October 28-29 at Piedmont Park in Atlanta. 

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Among the additional performers who will be featured during the two-day concert are Bryson Tiller, Tems, Kodak Black, Coi Leray, The Dream, Smino, Chief Keef, Fabolous, Jadakiss, Coco Jones, Jozzy and El DeBarge along with surprise special guests. There will also be a special salute to the 50th  anniversary of hip-hop. Helming that celebration will be Nelly, KRS-One, Killer Mike, 8Ball & MJG, DJ Quik, DJ Drama, Uncle Luke, Big Daddy Kane, Trina, Yo-Yo, Lady of Rage and a host of others. 

In a release announcing the lineup, ONE Musicfest founder J. Carter said, “We are beyond excited about the 14th annual ONE Musicfest. To have the opportunity to host Kendrick Lamar, Janet Jackson, Megan Thee Stallion, Brent Faiyaz, and other iconic artists in the middle of Piedmont Park is a dream come true, especially on the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. It doesn’t get any better than this. It will be a premium experience for the artists, the attendees, and our partners. We look forward to our new home in Piedmont Park and delivering an elevated experience to our many fans.”

The brands working with ONE Musicfest this year include Toyota, Red Bull, P&G and Jack Daniels. ONE Musicfest tickets are available here; for additional details, visit ONE Musicfest’s website.  

One Music Fest

12 Jul 2023

Jung Kook Recruits Latto for New Single ‘Seven’: Watch the Teaser

Less than a week after debuting a set of sultry photos in support of his forthcoming new single “Seven,” Jung Kook has revealed that Grammy-nominated rap star Latto will feature on the track. The BTS member announced the news by launching the first official teaser of the “Seven” music video, which Latto does not appear in. Nonetheless, her name appears in the video’s title.

The new single marks the first collaboration between Jung Kook and Latto. When the news of the collaboration first broke, Latto tweeted “S/O to the Army,” alongside three “7” emojis, a simultaneous reference to the song’s title and her own jackpot imagery. The announcement adds to the “Big Energy” rapper’s banner year. Her Cardi B-assisted “Put It On Da Floor Again” hit No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100, and she recently won best female hip-hop artist at the 2023 BET Awards.

Starring Han So-hee as his on-screen girlfriend, the music video teaser finds Jung Kook engulfed in a heated exchange with her while out at a fancy dinner. A chandelier then falls from the ceiling, disrupting the other patrons while Jung Kook and Han So-hee remained locked in their argument. “Weight of the world on your shoulders/ I catch your waist and ease your mind,” Jung Kook croons over sultry guitar licks.

“Seven” is slated for a July 14 release to coincide with Jung Kook’s performance at Good Morning America’s Summer Concert Series on the same day. Jung Kook’s last solo release was “Dreamers,” a song for the 2022 FIFA World Cup soundtrack that peaked at No. 1 on Digital Song Sales.

12 Jul 2023

Adam Lambert Feels ‘Flattered’ That Lil Nas X ‘Even Knows Who I Am’

Birds of a feather stick together, and pop superstar Adam Lambert is happy to see the similar plumage between himself and Lil Nas X.

On Tuesday night’s episode (July 11) of Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, Lambert gave a shout-out to the “Industry Baby” star. When a fan asked on-air about Lambert’s reaction to Lil Nas thanking him for creating space for queer artists, the “Whaddaya Want From Me” singer praised the rapper’s bombastic style.

“That was very flattering that he even knows who I am,” Lambert said. “I think he’s such a rock star, and so bold and brave, and I love what he’s doing. So I was very flattered by that,” Lambert said.

Cohen quickly followed up by pointing out all of the “crap” that Lambert had to deal with early on in his career as an openly queer artist, especially as a performer at the 2009 American Music Awards. Lambert acknowledged his struggle, but again praised Lil Nas X for doing “racy, fabulous, edgy performances and finally getting to do that without being canceled or pulled off of a network.”

Back in 2021, Lambert told Billboard that seeing Lil Nas X kiss a backup dancer at the BET Awards felt like a watershed moment for queer artistry. “What I love right now with Lil Nas is we need him to be outspoken about it. He is in a position where that works for him, and he’s using it.”

In turn, Lil Nas X told Heavy that he ended up getting to meet Lambert and properly thank him for the path he laid out for other LGBTQ artists. “I did thank him in person, actually. I really appreciate all the love that he’s shown me and I definitely don’t take it for granted,” he said. “And I appreciate all the doors that him and people like him opened.”

Check out the clip from Watch What Happens Live below: